Battery terminal connector



July 6, 1965 P. J. SPANGLER BATTERY TERMINAL CONNECTOR Filed Oct. 2, 1964 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ohio Filed (let. 2, 1964, er. No. 491,152 2 Claims. (Cl. 339-227) This invention relates to terminal connectors and, more particularly, to connectors for affixing conductors to battery terminals.

Conventional connectors for attaching a conductor to a battery terminal are usually made of lead and are usually attached to a conductor during the casting operation by composite casting techniques. The conductor is inserted into the mold cavity of a die casting machine and the lead is injected around the end of the conductor in the shape or" the connector. This operation produces an electrically and mechanically acceptable connector and conductor assembly, but is objectionable in that the automotive supplier and distributor must stock a different wire length for each automobile model. Since he must stock difierent wire lengths, and since each length of wire is provided with a connector, his inventory is necessarily, but undesirably, large.

Attempts have been made to overcome this problem by providing terminal connectors that may be attached to a length of wire by the supplier. This permits the supplier to stock coils of wire and a supply of connectors. When a battery post connector and conductor assembly is needed by the supplier, he merely selects the proper AWG wire size, cuts that wire to the proper length, and aiiixes the connector to the conductor. These connectors are not completely acceptable to suppliers in that they include relatively complex mechanical means for attaching the connector to its conductor and are therefore expensive. The main disadvantages, however, is that they do not provide a mechanical and electrical connection that is exhibited by a connector that is molded onto its conductor.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a connector for battery post terminals that may be attached to a conductor by an automotive supplier by using relatively inexpensive tools to thereby enable the supplier to stock a few AWG Wire sizes which he may cut to length as needed.

it is a further object of this invention to provide a connector for battery terminals which has an open ferrule portion which may be crimped to the bared end of an electrical conductor to provide a mechanically and electrically acceptable connection between the conductor and its connector.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent and more fully understood from the following detailed description of the invention and the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a battery post terminal connector according to one aspect of the present invention, and showing the bared end of an electrical conductor about to be inserted into the open ferrule portion of the connector.

FIGURE 2 is a cross sectional view of the connector, the plane of the section passing through the axis of the connector as indicated by the line 2-2 in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a subassembly employed to produce the article shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional view of a ferrule portion of a connector in accordance with a further aspect of the invention showing the ferrule in a suitable crimping die.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGURES 1 through 3, a battery post terminal connector It is illustrated. The connector ltl includes an annular terminal gripping portion 11 which is split so that it may grip a terminal post (not shown). The portion 11 is provided with a pair of ears 12 and 13, each of which is provided with transverse bores 14 and A bolt 16 extends through the bores 14 and 15 and is provided with a nut 17 at one end. The bolt 16 and its nut 17 may be tightened to draw the cars 12 and 13 together to thereby tighten a tapered bore 18 around the battery post terminal when the portion 11 is placed over the terminal. The connector 10 further includes an open ferrule portion 19 which is adapted to be crimped onto the bared end 20 of an electrical conductor 21.

The connector 10 is molded from lead or a suitable lead alloy for resistance to battery acid corrosion. As may be seen in FIGURES 2 and 3, the connector ltl further includes a reinforcing core or frame 22 which is integrally molded into the connector 1% by suitable composite casting techniques. The reinforcing frame 22 includes an open barrel portion 23 for reinforcing the ferrule portion 19 and an annular ring portion 2 for reinforcing the portion 11. The ring portion 24- is provided with openings 25 and 26 which permit the passage of the bolt 16 therethrough.

As may be seen most clearly in FIGURE 2, the portion 23 is cup-shaped and has an outwardly flared bottom portion 27 which extends through an opening 23 in the ring portion 24. The outwardly ilared portion 27 is initially formed as a cylinder which is concentric with the portion 23 and which may be formed by double drawing the portion 22. The outwardly flared portion 27 is formed by a suitable peening technique after the small cylinder is inserted into the opening 28. The reinforcing frame 22 is molded within its lead casing by inserting a core pin within the barrel portion 23 to support the frame within a mold cavity. The major portion of the inner periphery of the barrel portion 23 is spaced a slight distance from the core pin by dimpled indentations 29 which are provided on the barrel portion 23. The lead or lead alloy is permitted to flow between the core pin and the major portion of the inner periphery of the barrel 23. If desired, however, the lead may be blocked from the interior of the barrel by a suitable seal on the core pin.

The connector it? is secured to the conductor 21 by inserting the bared end 20 of the conductor into the open ferrule portion 19 and then applying a compressive crimping force to the outer periphery of the ferrule portion 19 to coin the inner periphery of the open ferrule into intimate contact with the strand or strands of the conductor 21. If the inner periphery of the open ferrule 19 is provided with a lead coating, as is shown in FIGURE 2, the lead is squeezed into intimate contact with the conductor. The indentations 29 tightly grip the bared end of the conductor to form a secure mechanical and electrical union and to prevent the axial extrusion of any lead outwardly from the barrel. The indentations 29 also prevent axial extrusion of the lead on the outer surface of the ferrule portion 19. It should be appreciated that an acceptable mechanical and electrical union may be effected between the connector Jill and the bared end 2% of the conductor 21 if the indentations 29 and/ or the lead coating on the inner surface of the ferrule portion 19 are omitted. The reinforcing portion 22 is preferably fabricated from copper and should be tin-plated prior to the casting operation to insure a good bond between the copper and the 5 lead and to prevent oxidation of any exposed portions of the reinforcing portion 22.

As may be seen in FIGURE 4, the periphery of the portion 19 need not be cylindrical but may comprise a ferrule portion 19a which has a cylindrical barrel 23a which is cast into a triangular-shaped lead sheathing 30. The lead sheathing 30 is designed to fit snugly into a V-Shaped female die nest 31 so that it may be crimped onto the bared end of a conductor by a male die member 32.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the above teachings. It will thus be understood that the disclosure is intended to include all modifications and variations within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A connector for attaching a conductor to a battery terminal, said connector having an open ferrule portion for receiving the bared end of a conductor and a split annular portion for gripping a battery terminal post, said ferrule and annular portions being formed from lead and having a conductive reinforcing core member, said core member having a barrel portion for reinforcing said ferrule portion, a plurality of inwardly directed indentations in said barrel portion for preventing axial extrusion of the surrounding lead as the ferrule portion is crimped onto a conductor and for tightly gripping the bared end of'a conductor to form a secure mechanical and electrical union.

2. An electrical connection between a conductor and a battery terminal connector comprising a connector having a ferrule portion crimped onto the bared end of a conductor and a split annular portion for gripping a battery terminal post, said ferrule and annular portions being formed from lead and having a conductive reinforcing core member, said core member having a barrel portion for reinforcing said ferrule portion, said barrel portion having a plurality of inwardly directed indentations Which tightly grip the bared end of the conductor to form a secure mechanical and electrical union and which prevent axial extrusion of portions of the lead forming the ferrule portion during the crimping operation.

References tilted by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,078,751 11/13 Rogers 339-224 X 1,420,435 6/22 Marko 339-227 1,808,330 6/31 Waltz 339227 1,835,000 12/31 Berthold 339-256 2,142,759 1/39 Plachy 339227 2,531,309 11/50 Thomas 339227 2,618,675 11/52 Lallmang 339227 JOSEPH D. SEERS, Primary Examiner. 

1. A CONNECTOR FOR ATTACHING A CONDUCTOR TO A BATTERY TERMINAL, SAID CONNECTOR HAVING AN OPEN FERRULE PORTION FOR RECEIVING THE BARED END OF A CONDUCTOR AND A SPLIT ANNULAR PORTION FOR GRIPPING A BATTERY TERMINAL POST, SAID FERRULE AND ANNULAR PORTIONS BEING FORMED FROM LEAD AND HAVING A CONDUCTIVE REINFORCING CORE MEMBER, SAID CORE MEMBER HAVING A BARREL PORTION FOR REINFORCING SAID FERRULE PORTION, A PLURALITY OF INWARDLY DIRECTED INDENTATIONS IN SAID BARREL PORTION FOR PREVENTING AXIAL EXTRUSION OF THE SURROUNDING LEAD AS THE FERRULE PORTION IS CRIMPED ONTO A CONDUCTOR AND FOR TIGHTLY GRIPPING THE BARED END OF A CONDUCTOR TO FORM A SECURE MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL UNION. 